someone asked the same thing last year so here's a copy from that, hope it helps

pokemon master wrote:in loser-winner game the worst thing that can happen to you is that you start, if it does happen in most cases you need to play your strongest card in the middle (simply bcuz if you start the game you also end the game ... you dont want to end it with turning 4 cards by playing your strongest card in the middle ), after that, cornering your lower numbers is the best thing you can do i guess ... or playing next to your middle card so that it has weaker numbers opened up (e.g. playing geezard to left/right, playing grat top/bottom)

for your opponent starting ... you just reverse the whole thing: focus on the critical spots (middle and spots next to middle) by mostly cornering your cards since focusing on middle will not be an option most of the time (most players start with middle )

but this is a beginner guide without any special rules included so its just basic tactics for a loser winner game, hope you make some use of it

The best strategy to start is what pikachu said: Play your stronger card at center. But it can chage if change the rules in the game. One thing you have to keep in mind is make a safe spot for your last move if you start, at same time you make traps to your opponent. Be sure if you start, you can be really happy with a draw. But if your opponent start, dont be too happy with it, like if the game would be easier to you, because you can be get in trouble if you get a smart opponent

I already think abou to make a guide about how to lose a game ( ) but i think i want to keep my strategies to me

Or have more weak card if its a random deck so you have a better chance at getting weaker cards, but if you are to do random deck on anything else it will not be a good choice. If it is a champs where there is different level cards or the same and you can pick pick the ones with all low numbers but if it random then hope you have weaker cards than your opponent. Hope this is help to you and other people that have this problem.